Spring 2011 Community Classes - Session II
Registration for Session II of the Spring 2011 Community Class schedule continues through Friday, March 25. Classes include belly dance, salsa, tennis, mat and reformer Pilates, adult and youth aquatics, and much more. Click here to view the full course catalogue. Sign up in the Wellness Enrichment Suite Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. or call 305-284-LIFE(5433) for more information. Want to try a class before signing up? Attend the first class for free!

New to the Community Class Schedule: Reformer Pilates
Joseph Pilates created equipment to both support and challenge the body's core musculature. The spring resistance on the reformer equipment assists by strengthening and stretching weak areas of your body, while encouraging the development of core strength and proper joint alignment. Reformer classes follow a general sequence of exercises guided by an instructor. These flowing movements linked together through mindful breathing challenge your balance, coordination, and abdominals. The Herbert Wellness Center will offer 7 different multi-level Reformer Pilates class options. Registration for these classes is going on through Friday, March 25. You can find class times and prices on the community class schedule. Registration is open to both members and non-members. For additional information contact Melissa Jurado at mjurado@miami.edu.

Private Reformer Pilates Sessions Now AvailablePrivate Pilates sessions are now available for students, members, and non-members. Sessions can be requested based on time or instructor preference. The first individual session must be requested at least 48 hours in advance. To register please visit the Wellness Enrichment Suite Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Daytime Massage Service Returns to the Herbert Wellness CenterNow that the expansion is complete, the Wellness Enrichment Suite will once again offer table massage appointments from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Evening hours from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. on weekdays are also available. To schedule your appointment, call the Wellness Enrichment Suite at 305-284-LIFE(5433). Membership is not required to purchase a massage. UM faculty and staff are eligible to receive a 10% discount on a 50-minute massage. In addition, UM employees who are not members of the Herbert Wellness Center will receive a complimentary day-pass to enjoy free use of the facility on the day of their massage appointment. For more information, visit us on the web.

Party at the 2011 Corporate Run/Walk!Join Sebastian and Team UM on Thursday, April 28 for the largest office party in Dade County - the 2011 Corporate Run/Walk! The event takes place at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. The race starts at 6:45 p.m. but everyone is encouraged to arrive early for the Team UM photo. This year Well 'Canes is contributing $5 towards the entry fee of Team UM participants who register early. The cost is only $25 if registration is received by April 6. The cost increases to $35 for race applications received after April 6. Well 'Canes is also sponsoring the Office Party Challenge by providing a catered lunch party for the department that recruits the most race participants (family members are included). Become a team captain and the winner of the Office Party Challenge could be you! The race registration form and other details are on the Herbert Wellness Center website. You may also contact your team captains: Claudine Johnson (Miller School of Medicine) at 305-243-7609 (e-mail cjohnson7@med.miami.edu) or Angie Ramos (Coral Gables and RSMAS campuses) at 305-284-5433 (e-mail a.ramos2@miami.edu).

Walk a Mile in Her ShoesJoin the Counseling Center on Saturday, April 9 at 10:30 a.m. at the Rock as they march a short distance with students and staff, both male and female, in high heels. This event is designed to promote education, awareness, and prevention of rape, sexual assault, gender violence, and relationship/domestic violence. In addition to the walk, enjoy a keynote speaker, live music, and a shoe decorating contest! Prizes will be given to the individual and group with the best decorated shoe. The $5 registration fee includes a t-shirt, high heels for the men, and refreshments. Visit the Counseling Center or any Residence Hall to sign up. For more information call 305-284-5511 or visit www.walkamileinhershoes.org.

Wellness Education Series The Herbert Wellness Center is proud to promote healthy living by offering a series of programs on various topics, ranging from fitness and nutrition to stress management. The wellness education series is open to everybody, regardless of membership status. Registration is required prior to participation in any of the programs. Visit the Wellness Enrichment Suite or call 305-284-LIFE(5433) to reserve your place. Click here for the full schedule. Here are some of our upcoming programs in the series:

Vegetarian Cooking Class - Most Valuable ProteinsWednesday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Chef Lori, Instructional Kitchen. We'll cook up some of our past favorites in this class devoted to vegetarian-friendly proteins! Tempeh Reuben showcases Tempeh (a soy product) in a delicious sandwich reminiscent of a New York City deli. Then imagine a scrumptious brunch in Provence when you taste a Raisin, Pine Nut, Cheese, and Chard Oven Omelet. Next, elevate the humble cruciferous cauliflower to an Indian main dish star in our Cauliflower with Ginger Cashew Onion Sauce. Finally, we'll make Dhal Bat Burgers - a quick weeknight dish combining lentils, rice, and spices that serve as a great way to use up leftovers. Cost (including demonstration, recipes, and food tasting): student and non-student members - $20, non-members - $25.

Heartsaver CPR Monday, March 28, 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Classrooms. The HS CPR course teaches CPR and relief of choking in adults, children, and infants, as well as use of barrier devices for all ages. (Optional: Infant CPR and choking; Adult, Child, and Infant CPR with Mask). Cost: student members - $15, non-student members - $25, non-members - $35.

Heartsaver CPR with AEDTuesday, April 5, 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., Classrooms. The HS AED course teaches CPR, AED use, and relief of choking in adults, children, and infants, as well as the use of barrier devices for all ages. (Optional: Infant CPR with mask and choking). Cost: student members - $20, non-student members - $30, non-members - $40.

Tips for a Healthier

Health-E-Cooking: Steamed Mussels with Fennel and TomatoTrying to eat healthier but getting sick of grilled chicken and steamed broccoli? Skip the heavy Italian restaurant and try this recipe for Steamed Mussels with Fennel and Tomato:

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and fennel; cook until just soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and season with salt and pepper; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are just soft, about 4 minutes. Add the vermouth and boil to reduce slightly. Add the tomatoes and tarragon, then cover the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 cup water and the mussels. Raise the heat to high, cover and cook until the mussels open, 3 to 5 minutes. (Check halfway through and transfer any open mussels to a serving bowl.) Transfer all the mussels to a serving bowl, discarding any that do not open. Season the sauce with pepper and, if needed, salt, and pour over the mussels. Serve with the bread.

Jumpstart Your RoutineDoes your exercise routine need a swift kick in the gluteus maximus? It's easy to get bored with the same old exercises every day.

This semester we will build on the basic exercises we featured last semester. Combining different movements in the same exercises increases caloric expenditure and allows you to accomplish more with less time. This issue's exercise is the reverse lunge with front raise:

This is a total body exercise that focuses on the muscles of the legs and shoulders while challenging balance.

Step 1: Start standing with your feet together and a dumbbell in each hand.

Step 2: Step your right foot behind you and bend both knees 90 degrees. Simultaneously, raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height.

Step 3: Lower and repeat.

Step 4: Alternate legs.

To make this exercise more challenging try single arm lateral raises.

Ask a Trainer Have a question you'd like answered by a personal trainer? We're here to help.

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Q: What is the best thing to drink before and after a workout?

A: In the majority of cases the best option for most people post-exercise is water. Your body depends on water to sustain chemical reactions and to maintain correct body temperature. It's possible to lose up to a quart of water during an hour of exercise through sweating, which can lead to dehydration if fluids aren't replaced. Drinking water before and during exercise also has benefits for performance.
Here are some tips for healthy hydration:

Consume 20 ounces of water during the two- to three-hour period before you start exercising.

For every pound of body water you lose during exercise, drink 16 to 24 ounces of water.

Drink cool water as it is more quickly absorbed by your body than warmer water, and it is less likely to cause cramps.

Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, a diuretic. They can also cause the jitters and shakes.

Steer clear of alcohol, also a diuretic. In addition, it is a poor energy source, and can depress the heart and nervous system. (Obviously, alcohol also hampers your coordination and impairs performance.)

Make hydration a part of your daily routine.

If you are an endurance athlete and workout for longer periods of time (more than 45 minutes), you may want to opt for a sports drink to fuel your muscles and replace electrolytes (such as salt) that are lost in sweat. There are many brands and flavors and several low-sugar energy drinks have recently been introduced to the marketplace. If the taste of these drinks is too strong for you, consider diluting them with cool water. As always, listening to your body is good advice when it comes to hydration. Unfortunately, thirst alone is not a good indicator of how much you need to drink, because thirst is quickly quenched by drinking very small amounts of water; additionally, once you notice thirst, you are already on your way to dehydration. Remember, these tips for hydration apply to any kind of activity and you don't have to be a marathon runner to benefit from quenching your thirst.

Did You Know?Interested in science-based fitness facts? Our resident exercise physiologist and associate director of fitness, will share fitness and nutrition information that is fact, not fiction.

For most, the benefits of regular exercise offer nothing but significant improvements in health, physical function, and well-being. There is a plethora of evidence supporting this. However, for those who do not exercise regularly a sudden burst of exercise can potentially increase the risk of a heart attack! A new study from the Tufts Medical Center in Boston found that people were 3.5 times more likely to experience a heart attack or have sudden cardiac death when exercising and are 2.7 times more likely to experience a heart attack when they are having sex or immediately afterwards, compared with when they are not. It is important to note that this risk appeared in individuals who were not regularly active. It was not apparent in those who exercise regularly (another reason to stay active). These findings simply suggest that it is extremely important for those people who are not active to start an exercise program slowly and progress the intensity of their exercise gradually.

In the News

Has life just been too busy to read the Health and Fitness section of your newspaper? Let us provide you with a few highlights of what's made the news lately.

Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, and the UnknownTwo people are diagnosed with high cholesterol, one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, and follow similar therapies. One ends up with improved cholesterol levels, but the other doesn’t. The answer about whether either has a greater chance of heart attack or stroke may not be as simple as counting cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, at least when it comes to high-density lipoprotein, better known as HDL or the so-called “good” cholesterol, a new study indicates.

Doctors have long agreed that large levels of low-density lipoprotein — also known as LDL or “bad” cholesterol — can cause artery blockages or blood clots, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke. However, greater levels of the other so-called “good” cholesterol — high-density lipoprotein — may be less important than how well your particular HDL removes the bad cholesterol from arteries and carries it back to the liver to pass out of your body.

These new findings won’t have an immediate effect on your doctor’s recommendations because no easy-to-perform clinical test for HDL efficiency is available, but down the line, understanding more about how good, not just bad, cholesterol works can help researchers develop better treatments for heart disease, experts say. “The evidence for lowering LDL is substantial, but the evidence for raising HDL is not as convincing,” said Dr. Robert Eckel, director of the University of Colorado Hospital’s lipid clinic, which specializes in the treatment of cholesterol problems. “It’s an important study because it opens new doors and may help explain some of the discrepancies out there in terms of patient outcomes.”

In practical terms, a patient with high levels of good cholesterol may not be receiving as much protection as hoped for, while a person with low levels that are very efficient may be better off than previously thought, said Dr. Daniel J. Rader, a cardiologist at the University of Pennsylvania who was the study’s lead researcher. “It’s our first hint that the good cholesterol story is more complicated, that you can’t just increase the level and expect it to work properly,” said Dr. Christopher Cannon, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

When developing and testing new medications to improve HDL levels, Cannon said, another question needs to be asked: “What kind of good cholesterol does it produce?” In a clinical trial Cannon completed last fall, an experimental drug called anacetrapib upped HDL levels by 138 percent in six months and maintained that rise over 18 months without the negative side effects shown by other medicines in the same class.
The oral medication being developed by Merck also reduced LDL levels by 40 percent among patients also taking a statin drug, the most popular medication class for lowering bad cholesterol. Anacetrapib will now proceed to a four-year global clinical trial involving 30,000 patients, which could lead to a submission for approval by the Food and Drug Administration sometime around 2015, Cannon said.

Other FDA-approved drugs are thought to raise good cholesterol, but niacin is the only one to do so by any significant level (25 percent), he added. Its clinical benefit has not been proven, and many patients who take it experience uncomfortable side effects such as flushing and body aches, Cannon said. A separate study found signs that HDL’s ability to remove bad cholesterol may be better in patients treated with anacetrapib than those who received niacin or no HDL-promoting medication.

About a third of all Americans, or 100 million, have high bad-cholesterol levels, one of the top risk factors, along with high blood pressure, for heart disease, attack or stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Two-thirds don’t have it under control.

Heart disease also is the nation’s biggest killer, with 800,000 deaths annually. It’s also expensive, accounting for nearly $300 billion a year in direct medical costs alone, a number that is expected to triple in the next 20 years.